Chem Prof's Mini Plots
by chem prof
Summary: I have a lot of plot ideas floating around, of varying degrees of complexity. I'm creating this collection as a place to post the shorter ones that I don't feel warrant a separate title of their own. My thinking is that this might be a way to write up some of these ideas, post them, and move on instead of trying to stretch everything into a full story. We'll see how it goes.


**Disclaimer**

The Harry Potter universe and all the characters in it belong to J. K. Rowling. I get nothing out of this except enjoyment.

**Introduction**

This story has been sitting unchanged on my computer for more than a year, so it looks like it's as polished as it's going to get. Time to post it and move on to the next plot idea.

Assumptions – the story went pretty much according to the books through the final battle. The Epilogue does not occur. In this plot idea, Harry, Hermione, and Ron returned to Hogwarts in the fall after the final battle to finish their education. The rest may be deduced from the story.

Note that this story takes place in split time – as labeled at the beginning of the first two sections. It jumps back and forth as the plot unfolds. In order to make it easier to follow, the flashback scenes are in italics.

-xox-XOX-XOX-xox-

**Meant to Be**

Scene – Potter residence, 25 years after the final battle.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I'd like to begin by thanking you for taking the time to speak with us today," the reporter began.

The couple smiled and nodded at their interviewer. "We understand how important this is for you, although we don't really think we're all that interesting," Harry quipped.

"As I indicated to you when we arranged this visit, I'd like to focus on the two of you and your relationship, which many of us believe was as important to the dark lord's defeat as any battle tactics or magical strategy, if not more so," their interrogator continued.

This time Harry shook his head wryly. "Well, given that we pretty much didn't have any tactics, I suppose there's a lot of truth to that. Where would you like us to start?"

"Well, I know you were friends from your first year at Hogwarts. When and how did that relationship change to more than just friends?" the young woman queried.

Harry and Hermione exchanged a long, affectionate glance.

-oooOOOooo-

_Scene – Hogwarts Castle, September 1998_

_The Head Girl quietly followed the black haired, green eyed man into the Room of Requirement under the invisibility cloak that she'd surreptitiously borrowed earlier that day. She'd gradually been growing more suspicious, and now she would confirm her worst fears. The tears began to flow as she watched him and the girl he was with embrace passionately and eagerly remove their clothing. She waited until they began the sexual act itself before turning away, her face in her hands, thinking, "How could you do this to me?"_

_Mercifully, it didn't last long. As the two lovers dressed, the man spoke for the first time._

"_Remember, you can't let anyone know," he warned his paramour. "You know how vicious Ginny can be." The girl reluctantly agreed, but then began to stroke him again._

"_Bloody hell, woman, what you do to me!" he exclaimed. Seeing that they were about to start up all over again, the silent watcher left the room, heartbroken._

-oooOOOooo-

"As you said, we'd always been close," Hermione began. "It could have developed into more any number of times, but we always seemed to hold back. For example," she recalled, turning to Harry, "at the end of first year, when we were in the potions room together just before you went on to face him alone, I certainly felt a tug at my heart."

"That's when you suddenly hugged me and called me a great wizard," Harry added. "Surprised the heck out of me. Same thing at the end of second year. Seeing you petrified in the hospital wing gave me an empty feeling inside, and then when you ran into the Great Hall after you'd been cured …" Hermione smiled and took his hand.

"We were still too young for anything serious to develop during those years, though," she noted. "For me, the first time I really got that feeling was at the end of third year, when we were flying on Buckbeak to rescue Sirius."

"Well, I was slower than you," Harry quipped. "For me, the first time was when I saw you at the Yule Ball. It just hit me like a ton of bricks." He shrugged. "But you were there with Krum, so there wasn't exactly anything I could do about it at the time. Plus my mind was occupied with how nervous I was about the whole thing, hoping I didn't make a fool of myself during the first dance. And then … well …"

Hermione nodded. "Ron."

-oooOOOooo-

_Entering the private Head Students suite, the Head Girl collapsed onto the sofa, sobbing. Her life would now become drastically different than how she'd expected it to be just a month ago._

_Only a few minutes had passed when the Head Boy arrived. As soon as he saw her in such distress he dropped what he was carrying and rushed to her side._

"_Hermione! What's wrong?" he inquired urgently, placing his hand gently on her back. "How can I help?"_

_Hermione looked up at him and scowled. "I'll have you know that I'm rather cross with you right now, Harry Potter."_

_Harry leaned back, perplexed. "Why?" _

_This only elicited more crying from Hermione. "I know it's not your fault, but why did you have to have Molly cut your hair this summer?" she moaned._

"_But you were the one who suggested it!" he protested. Hermione now accepted his comfort, burrowing her head into his chest as his arms wrapped around her. A fresh flood of tears began to stream down her face. _

"_I know! But Ron must have collected some of your hair cuttings."_

"_What!"_

_Hermione nodded sadly and tried to wipe her eyes. "He's been using polyjuice to turn into you, and enticing a whole series of girls into having sex with him," she explained. "He's up in the Room of Requirement nearly every day, shagging them over and over."_

"_I'll kill him!" Harry shouted. He moved to break away from her, determined to go make the cheating bastard pay then and there._

"_No, please, just hold me," Hermione begged. He complied, hugging her gently but firmly to himself. "Today it was Romilda Vane!" she continued with horrified indignation. "She's only sixteen years old!"_

_Harry shook his head, his anger flaring again. Not only was Ron cheating on Hermione, he was putting Harry in a potentially nasty legal spot. While the age of consent varied from country to country in the muggle world, wizarding England was quite firm that seventeen was the age of majority in every situation. Once Ron moved on to his next conquest, Romilda Vane could make all kinds of trouble for Harry if she chose. But he shook that thought off after only a few seconds. Right now this was about his closest friend and her shattered heart._

"_Oh Hermione, I'm so sorry."_

-oooOOOooo-

By this point they seemed to have forgotten that there was a reporter in the room, focusing entirely on each other with their reminiscences, so much so that their interviewer began to feel like an intruder. Wisely, though, she kept quiet, reasoning that they were more likely to open up this way. The trip down memory lane continued through fifth year and into sixth before it came to an abrupt halt, with both of the adult Potters nearly simultaneously breaking off with regretful shakes of their heads.

"For years we thought our feelings for each other were platonic," Hermione explained, addressing the reporter once again. "We kept telling ourselves we were like brother and sister."

Harry nodded, recalling a specific incident in the Forest of Dean where he'd tried to reassure Ron with those exact words.

Hermione sighed. "Eventually we realized what it really was. A large part of the delay, of course, was because we dated Ron and Ginny. It's ironic, because we both independently came to the conclusion that it was supposed to be that way. Harry backed off because Ron was interested in me, and I deferred to Ginny because I knew she had her heart set on him."

"Once those relationships ended, we just naturally came together," Harry added.

"Any particular incident that opened your eyes?" the interviewer wondered.

Harry and Hermione shared a long look. Then Hermione glanced away while Harry shrugged. "Not really," he answered. "Just a gradual realization."

-oooOOOooo-

_At length Hermione broke their embrace and moved back to arm's length. Taking a deep breath, she grasped his hand and looked him in the eye._

"_Harry? Make love to me? Please?"_

_Startled, Harry stammered out a refusal. "Hermione! No … I …"_

_She pulled away and snapped at him, "Why, am I so ugly? You can't stand the thought of doing it with me?"_

"_Not it at all," he corrected, his eyes darkening. "I'd only make love to you because you love me, not because you want to get back at Ron. I'd never take advantage of you that way, when you're not thinking straight." _

_Hermione's shoulders slumped in defeat. She raised a weary hand to her forehead and sighed. "I'm sorry. You're right," she admitted. "I'm not thinking straight. And you'd never cheat on Ginny either."_

_To her surprise, Harry remained silent rather than confirming her statement. Before the pause could become too awkward, he sighed as well._

"_Actually, that has nothing to do with it, since I just broke up with Ginny today," he revealed. Hermione's hand rose to her mouth to stifle a gasp of surprise. She'd been certain …_

"_I thought she was the one," Harry continued, "but I've gradually come to realize that we want different things. Ginny has always wanted to be the wife of the Boy Who Lived; the princess with her knight in shining armor. And she's never really given up on that." He shrugged. Ginny had said as much in nearly those exact words, the day of Dumbledore's funeral and again after the final battle when they'd reunited._

"_And you've always wanted to be anything but the Boy Who Lived," Hermione agreed. "I can understand how it would be difficult to reconcile those desires." She pondered for a few moments before continuing. "I suppose I should have realized that sooner, but I was looking at the things you two did have in common and overlooked that fundamental incompatibility."_

_Harry nodded glumly and Hermione reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. "The girl who would be right for you would be one who saw you as yourself, just Harry Potter," she declared. "She would admire you for the qualities of your character, not your fame. But she would also need to have some spunk, to have enough confidence to correct you when you're wrong, and a strong enough personality to pull you out of your moods. But most importantly she would love you for who you are."_

_Harry ducked his head and blushed, as he always did when she praised his good qualities. After a few seconds of silence he decided that she was finished embarrassing him and decided to turn the tables._

"_Another thing we should have realized long ago," he noted. "You and Ron aren't exactly compatible either." Hermione's head jerked up in mild surprise, and he smiled at having caught her off balance. "I mean, he pretty much detests the things you enjoy, or at least is indifferent to them, while you were never really thrilled about the things he enjoyed either."_

_Hermione began to voice an objection, but then realized that she had no counter to his assertions. She ended up reluctantly agreeing, mumbling something about being willing to settle. But Harry wasn't finished._

"_The right guy for you," he proclaimed, "would be someone who appreciated your loyalty, your hard work, your studiousness, and your insatiable desire to learn everything you can. But he would also have to be able to tell you, in as nice a way as possible, when you're being too bossy. And he would need to be able to get you to relax and have fun. Oh, and he should be able to appreciate the muggle world and understand why you aren't willing to give up that side of you."_

_Hermione's jaw dropped. Since when did Harry think seriously enough about personal relationships, particularly hers, to come up with such a cogent analysis?_

_Then the same realization hit both of them – Harry's version of the perfect guy for Hermione described himself quite well. And Hermione's description of the perfect girl for Harry fitted herself to a T._

_Both of their faces began to redden as their eyes locked together, and both knew very well what the other was thinking._

_Finally Harry spoke. "I think," he offered hesitantly, "that we may have just solved both of our problems."_

_Hermione stepped forward shyly, reaching out one arm and resting her hand on the back of his neck. "Do you suppose you might be willing to kiss me now?" she whispered._

-oooOOOooo-

Shortly after that the interview concluded and the reporter bade them good day. Hermione turned to Harry and raised an eyebrow. "Gradual?"

Harry smirked. "Well, it did take almost a whole day before we made love." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I was thinking gradual, like it must have been nearly five minutes between the time we started talking and when we started snogging. Or maybe the gradual way our clothes came off over the next few hours?"

Hermione shook her head and smiled. "Well, in any case, we got there eventually. And looking back now, it's easy to see that it was always meant to be.

-xox-XOX-XOX-xox-


End file.
